Air cooler



V. WRIGHT Dec. 23, 1930.

AIR COOLER Filed Nov. 16, 1928 m m en@ Patented Dec. 23, 1930 PATENT oFFlcE VIRGIL WRIGHT, OF DALLAS, TEXAS AIR COOLER Application filed November l16, 1928. Serial No. 319,935.

This invention relates to an improved air cooler particularly adapted for use in conjunction with electric fans and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device which will effectually. cool the air currents generated by such a fan.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air cooler having water tanks mounted in vertical spaced relation to each other 1o and rows of wicks disposed therebetween, which rows of wicks are staggered in relation to each other to permit a free circulation of air around the wicks when the device is placed in front of an operating fan.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air cooler which `will be simple in structure, which may be carried about easily, and which will not require much attention.

Other objects of the invention not specifically mentioned in the oregoin will be apparent during the course of the gollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the device placed in front of an electric fan,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device showlng the water passage at one end thereof,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing more clearly the wicks arranged in 3e staggered relation,

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing one of the wick supporting caps,

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing more clearly the check valve employed in the device.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ an oblong lower tank 1 Substantially rectangular in cross section and provided with flat corners, the tank having a top wall 2 inclined toward one end and feet 3 mounted on the bottom wall thereof. Mounted in parallel spaced relation to the tank 1 is an oblong upper tank 4 also substantially rectangular in cross section and provided with fiat corners.

spaced relation at one end by a wall 5 and at the opposite end by' a double wall 6--7 deiining a water passa e 8 connec-tin the tanks, the walls 5 and 7 eing integra with and forming continuations of the end walls of The tanks are supported inthe tanks. The inner wall 6 terminates at its lower end at the adjacent end of the top wall 2 of the lower tank while at its upper end, the wall 6 is secured to the bottom wall of the upper tank, but extends past such wall, however, to provide a false end wall 9 at the adjacent end of the upper tank, said false end wall terminating in spaced relation to the top wall of the upper tank to provide a restricted inlet for the upper tank at the upper end of the passage 8. Mounted medially on the top wall of the upper tank is a handle 10 and formed on said to wall at one side of the handle is a filler nec 11 provided with va iiller cap 12.

Formed on the bottom wall of the upper tank 4 are rows of downwardly projecting nipples 13 and formed on the inclined top wall 2 of the lower tank are rows of upstanding nipples 14 aligning with said downwardly projecting nipples, each row of nipples being in staggered relation to its adjacent row on the same wall. Fitting over said nipples are caps 15 having substantially rectangular clamping mouths 16. The caps are formed preferably of rubber.

Extending into the nipples y14 through the mouths 16 of each pair of aligning caps and securely clamped thereby are wicks 17 formed of interwoven cotton threads or other suitable material.

Formed on the inclined walll 2 and depending from the lower end thereof is a valve casing 18 having spiders 19, and extending through said spiders is a `valve stem 2O carrying a valve 21 to cooperate with a seat 22. Normally holding the valve in closed position is a spring 23.

In practice the filler cap 12 is removed from the filler neck l1 and water poured into the upper tank 4, care being taken not to lill the tank to a level above the upper edge of the false end Wall 7 and thus cause an overllow through the water passage 8 into the lower tank l. When the tank has been filled to its proper level, or slightly below the edge of the falsel end wall 7, the cap 12 is replaced and the device placed in front of an electric fan. The water will thus flow into the nipples of the upper tank, seep through the wicks and pass through the nipples of the lower tank to drip into said lower tank. Any water that drips down the outside of the caps will flow down the inclined top wall of the lower tank, past the check valve, and into the lower tank l. When the upper tank has drained, the device may be inverted, thus permitting the water to flow through the Water passage 8, past the false end wall 7, and into'the tank 4, whereupon, after the device is righted, the water may beA used again. The check valve 2l will prevent water from escaping through the valve casing when the device is inverted.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. An air cooler including upper and lower tanks provided at corresponding ends thereof with a double wall supporting said tanks in spaced relation and de ning a passage for returning a liquid from the lower tank to the upper tank when the cooler is inverted, an air passage being defined between the tanks, and wicks extending between the tanks for conducting liquid from the upper tank to the lower tank whereby the wicks will be moistened for cooling air currents flowing about said wicks.

2. An air cooler including upper and lower tanks provided with means forming a passage for returning a liquid from the lower tank to the upper tank when the cooler is inverted, an air passage being defined between the tanks, wicks extending between the tanks for conducting a liquid from the upper tank to the lower tank whereby the wicks will be moistened for cooling air currents flowing about the wicks, the lower tank being provided with a top wall having an opening and being inclined towards said opening for directing moisture collecting on said wall through said opening into the bottom tank,

VIRGIL WRIGHT. [1.. 8.]

and a valve for closing said opening when the tank is inverted.

3. A water cooler including spaced tanks, means supporting the tanks in spaced relation, nipples projecting from the tanks, an air passage being defined between the tanks, wicks extending through said nipples for conducting a liquid from one tank to the other whereby the wicks will be moistened for cooling air currents flowing about the wicks, and caps frictionally fitting over the nipples and provided with portions clamping the wicks for connecting the wicks with the nipples.

Il. An air cooler including upper and lower tanks spaced apart for the circulation of air thgrebetween and connected by a passage for returning a liquid from the upper tank to the lower tank when the cooler is inverted, and means for conducting a liquid from one tank to the other whereby said means will be moistened for c ooling air currents flowing about said means. v

5. An air cooler including upper and lower 

